Michael Miltenberger

Mr. Speaker, Environment and Natural Resources has the lead with the file as it pertains to the development of the Biomass Strategy and implementation across the North. We, as the government, have put $60 million over four years for alternative energy. One significant piece of that is dedicated towards biomass. There is funding available for different projects.

Once again, I’d have to check with the department and maybe talk to the Member and get some more detail, but there is a biomass plan, there is funding in place to assist with biomass projects. The question would have to be to see what...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 13, Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures) 2011-2012, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill authorizes the Government of the Northwest Territories to make infrastructure expenditures for the 2011-2012 fiscal year. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Gaining northern control over the resource management decision-making process is one of the main reasons the Government of the Northwest Territories is pursuing devolution.

Until Northerners have this control, we are not in the position to determine the pace of development in our Territory.

The residents of the Northwest Territories, especially aboriginal people, have a special relationship with the land and water. We all have a strong interest in making sure our land and water is protected and our resources are developed in a wise and sustainable manner.

A devolution...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 13, Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures) 2011-2012, be read for the first time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled Waste Reduction and Recovery Program, 2009-2010 Annual Report. Thank you.

I will talk with the officials in the department, starting with the deputy minister, to see if we can follow up on that request.

I’ve had a relatively recent communication with the Minister from the Yukon and I’ve indicated to him in that conversation that we have, and have had, concerns about the Peel River watershed. There’s lots of activity there. We also have concerns about the efficacy and efficiency of our transboundary agreement that was one of the only ones that has been signed under the existing Mackenzie River Basin Transboundary Agreement and that we are drafting a communication to open discussions on that whole issue.

The one area is going to be the possible access to bison tags. There is no harvest anywhere in the Northwest Territories at present for any harvesting except the aboriginal harvest. So there is no capacity to open up access to caribou tags anywhere at this point, given the pressures the herds are under. We’re looking at other types of animals besides bison. There is moose, of course, and depending where you live up north, there’s other things like muskox, as well, that could be considered.

The Member is correct.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government, as well, has agreed to second this motion and will be supporting the motion and its intent for the reasons listed by the Member for Weledeh. I’d also point out that we’re not alone in our concern. There are governments across the country that have filed their concerns and asked for the federal government to reconsider. I have been, along with many Members on this side of the House, at the federal/provincial table talking about northern concerns and have been told many times that our numbers are so small that we’re not statistically significant, and that...